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Broadband deals: How to get the best broadband deal What broadband speed do I need?

Speed is a crucial consideration when you're deciding which broadband package is right for you. Too slow and you'll struggle to do the things you need to do; too fast, and you may be paying for a service you don't really need.

To help decide what's best for you, think about how you use the internet.

Broadband package reviews - once you've decided on the speed you need then head over to our broadband review pages to see how each provider did in our regular satisfaction survey and to find out what deals they have to offer.

Standard vs superfast packages

The majority of broadband packages in the UK use ADSL technology and so transmit data over the existing phone network. This means they're widely available (BT estimates it has 99% coverage) though download speeds are limited to around 16 megabytes per second (Mbps) and it can be far less if you live a long way from the nearest telephone exchange.

Superfast packages use more efficient fibre optic cables to transmit data (though most switch to the phone line for the final leg into your house). This means they can reach far faster speeds (Virgin offers a 152Mbps package) though prices are higher and they're not available in all parts of the country.

What are the benefits of faster speeds?

Fast speeds allow for quicker downloads and also help to reduce the problems caused when different family members log on at the same time. They let you seamlessly enjoy services such as online radio, video on-demand and catch-up TV at the same time, while fibre's faster upload speeds make life easier when you're sharing photos online or making video calls.

As the graphic below illustrates, at its fastest the difference between downloading a film from a service such as iTunes or BlinkBox is about 90 seconds for fibre optic vs around 20 minutes for ADSL. A good fibre connection should put an end to any stuttering and buffering of on-demand TV, too.

Do I need to go superfast?

Fibre broadband is great but isn't necessary for everyone. For browsing the web, checking emails, uploading the odd photo to Facebook and even streaming from BBC iPlayer or Netflix, you don't need a superfast connection.

For iPlayer you need 2Mbps of sustained bandwidth to watch standard-definition content or 3Mbps for high-definition, while the minimum recommended broadband speed for Netflix is 1.5Mbps. However, you will likely benefit if you regularly:

Use your broadband at the same time as other people in your home

Download films or large online files on a regular basis

Use online TV catch-up services from more than one device

Upload videos and other large files to the web

Play video games online

Use video-calling services, such as Skype

How accurate are broadband speeds?

Speed is clearly important. But the reality is that few of us will ever get the headline speeds that providers quote in their ads. That is because companies are allowed to advertise speeds that only 10% of their customers can get.

We don't think that's fair. We want the majority of customers to get the speeds they're promised in ads, not just 10%, and need your support to convince advertising watchdogs to pull the plug on confusing broadband ads.